EXCLUSIVE: Devastated Bill Roache spoke of ending it all over sex allegations

CRUSHED: Bill Roache reached his lowest point during his trial [GETTY]

The Corrie star said he was “at my lowest point ever” over the sex allegations, which dated back nearly 50 years.

One long-time pal revealed: “It hit him so badly. We were really, really concerned about how he would handle all of this.”

But the popular actor, who has played Ken Barlow since the soap’s first episode in 1960, vowed to fight the allegations “tooth and nail”.

And on Thursday Roache, 81, walked free from Preston Crown Court after ­being found not guilty of charges ­involving five ­women. He had denied every one.

Last night Roache called his friends ­telling them of his excitement about ­returning to work with the rest of the Street cast.

But a Corrie source revealed: “Bill was absolutely shattered when he was hit with those charges. They came right out of the blue.

“When the police charged him he was quite calm. But he could not get his head around why all this was kicking off. At one point Bill actually said he was so gobsmacked by the charges he felt he could almost have wanted to end it all.

“The fact he knew damn well he was i­nnocent made him determined to bat the whole thing out.

“To be hit with those charges, including underage rapes, is an awful accusation when you know you are an innocent man. It’s a savage blight against his ­reputation that he always knew he didn’t deserve.

CLEARED: Roache with daughter Verity [PA]

“It hit him so badly. We were really, really concerned about how he would handle all of this”

A long-time pal

“Something like this could easily destroy a man. Fortunately Bill is stronger than that and made sure justice was done.”

The father-of-five, from Wilmslow, Cheshire, was unanimously cleared on two counts of raping a girl under 16 in 1967 and five counts of indecently assaulting other girls in the same era. The case cost the taxpayer an estimated £500,000.

Support for the world’s longest-serving soap actor poured in from current and former cast members.

Street legend Jean Alexander, 87, who played Weatherfield busybody Hilda Ogden for 23 years, said: “Why on earth didn’t they complain at the time? To leave it nearly 50 years and then make these claims is a disgrace.

“I have never believed any of these allegations. I have worked with Michael Le Vell and supported him too when he was going through similar troubles.

“It’s clear to me that because someone’s done well and risen in their profession, certain people might believe that because they may have a lot of money it is worth jumping on the bandwagon.

“Bill is and always has been the perfect gentleman whenever I have been around him.”

And Corrie favourite Peter Baldwin, who played dithery Derek Wilton for 21 years and is a close friend of the cleared star, branded the year-long ordeal Roache suffered “a complete disgrace”.

Peter, 80, who now runs a traditional toy shop in London’s Covent Garden, said: “It’s the right result, I am sure. But it should never have gone anywhere near court.

“It’s not fair – after all those years it is one person’s word against another.

“Just imagine the worry and torment he has been through.”

And actor Lee Boardman, 41, who played drug dealer Jez Quigley, said: “I have ­absolute respect for Bill and am glad he has come through all this.

“I will never forget how welcome he made me when I joined the cast.”

Writers scripted Roache out of the soap while the judicial process went on.

His character was said to have been on a trip to Canada but he will be back on screens in September.

Roache is the third Corrie star to be cleared of sex charges since last June.

Michael Le Vell, 49, who has played mechanic Kevin Webster for 31 years, was found not guilty of raping and molesting a child.

And a jury took just 29 minutes to clear Andrew Lancel, 43, who played nasty Frank Foster, of sex charges involving a 15-year-old boy.

Police confirmed yesterday they will review information they received from “a number of other people” who came ­forward during Roache’s trial.